Futuristic technology & customisable rooms

13 August 2013

Residence Inn by Marriott reinforces its commitment to family travel enrichment by turning the spotlight on kids – the young generation of travelers who have strong opinions about their families’ vacation decisions. To uncover what children truly want from a hotel, and glean insights on the future of travel, Residence Inn hosted the first-ever Kids Roundtable on Travel on August 3.

Guest room access that recognises your fingerprint instead of keycards…wall color that changes at the click of a button…design elements that are predetermined by the guest before arrival…microwaves that cook up anything you want…a robot butler serving your every whim – these are just a few features that the children shared as their vision for the hotel of the future.

The roundtable’s key findings conveyed the need for hotels to focus on personalisation and customisation for young guests. Highlights include:
* Customised experiences with a tech twist: Aside from whimsical desires for endless free ice cream, water slides and entire floors dedicated to “FUN,” kids want to be in control of their travel experiences, from pre-ordering in-room snacks to deciding hotel room amenities. Hoteliers shouldn’t underestimate the importance of the bed itself. Ideas ranged from mattresses/pillows that can adjust firmness based on personal preference, to mechanisms specifically designed for light sleepers (sound proofing) or heavy sleepers (an alarm-enhanced pillow).
* Emotional motivation of family time on the road: When asked to cite the best part of traveling with their families, the kids mentioned the emotional experiences and importance of sharing memories. Connecting with family, seeing relatives who live abroad and spending quality time with loved ones ranked most meaningful.
* Getting there is half the fun…or at least it will be in the future: Forget long family road trips packed into a station wagon. Flying cars, teleports, Google driverless cars, hovercrafts and jet packs are the predictions that the roundtable kids made for future transportation methods. In fact, half of the attendees believe that they will one day have the option to holiday on the moon.

“These children have very different expectations, views and opinions of travel than our guests today. Their world is technologically advanced and there is no limit to their imagination,” said Diane Mayer, vice president and global brand manager, Residence Inn. “We host a lot of families with children at Residence Inn. Who knows, we might test some of these out-of-the-box ideas in the near future.”

Residence Inn by Marriott’s Kids Roundtable on Travel took place at the Residence Inn New York Manhattan/Midtown East. In order to target a subsection of well-traveled children, Residence Inn partnered with innovative family website MacaroniKid.com to select 10 participants, ranging in age from eight to 12 years old.

With more than 600 properties in the United States, Canada, Europe, the Middle East and Central America, Residence Inn by Marriott is a leader in the extended-stay lodging segment. Designed for long stays, the brand offers spacious suites with separate living and sleeping areas. Fully functional kitchens, grocery delivery, 24-hour markets and complimentary breakfast help guests maintain a healthy balance while on the road. Complimentary Wi-Fi allows guests to stay connected to the home and office, while health and fitness options and inviting lobby spaces provide comfortable places to work and relax.